DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41194#0011
possible foundation for Art in modern times, is Birming/
quite possible to be done; and it will be done, so ham School
soon as people care about it* To put the matter of Art, 1894*
quite plainly, as things go now we are, as a com/
munity, contented to be publicly poor so long as
some of us are privately rich; therefore, though the
income of the country is enormous in figures, no
man of us can go a few yards from his own door
without seeingthe tokens of quite desperate public
poverty* Now I admit that within the last dozen
of years there are signsof healthy discontent with
this monstrous discrepancy between our powers
and our practice; and in one direction,especially,
a new spirit has arisen, which, to begin with, has
given us instruments through which the revolt a/
gainst stupid utilitarianism can work* I am allud/
ingto the development of municipal life amongst
us* Without flattery, and as a matter of fact, I can
say that of course I knowhowthis city has forlong
taken aleadingpartin this development* But now
we are seeing,whatIthinksomeofus scarcely ex/
pected to see, London playingitspartherein; and
that, in spite of its being so weighted by its un/
manageable size, & its position as a centre of gov/
ernment, of politics, and of intelligence; that is to
say, in spite of its being the very representative, of
all places in the world, of the commercial epoch*
Whatever mistakes the London County Council
has made, or will make, I am sure that it is awake
to the fact that it owes to the citizens some account
3
quite possible to be done; and it will be done, so ham School
soon as people care about it* To put the matter of Art, 1894*
quite plainly, as things go now we are, as a com/
munity, contented to be publicly poor so long as
some of us are privately rich; therefore, though the
income of the country is enormous in figures, no
man of us can go a few yards from his own door
without seeingthe tokens of quite desperate public
poverty* Now I admit that within the last dozen
of years there are signsof healthy discontent with
this monstrous discrepancy between our powers
and our practice; and in one direction,especially,
a new spirit has arisen, which, to begin with, has
given us instruments through which the revolt a/
gainst stupid utilitarianism can work* I am allud/
ingto the development of municipal life amongst
us* Without flattery, and as a matter of fact, I can
say that of course I knowhowthis city has forlong
taken aleadingpartin this development* But now
we are seeing,whatIthinksomeofus scarcely ex/
pected to see, London playingitspartherein; and
that, in spite of its being so weighted by its un/
manageable size, & its position as a centre of gov/
ernment, of politics, and of intelligence; that is to
say, in spite of its being the very representative, of
all places in the world, of the commercial epoch*
Whatever mistakes the London County Council
has made, or will make, I am sure that it is awake
to the fact that it owes to the citizens some account
3